Patent application title: MECHANICAL SPLICE

Abstract:

A mechanical splice apparatus including a mechanical splice with a groove
and an aligning component with a wedge. When the wedge is engaged in the
groove of the mechanical splice an opening is formed in the mechanical
splice and when the wedge is disengaged from the groove, the opening
closes.

Claims:

1. A mechanical splice apparatus, comprising:a mechanical splice with a
groove; andan aligning component with a wedge;wherein when said wedge is
engaged in said groove of said mechanical splice an opening is formed in
said mechanical splice and when said wedge is disengaged from said
groove, said opening closes.

2. The mechanical splice apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
mechanical splice comprises a plurality of grooves;wherein said aligning
component comprises a plurality of wedges andwherein when said wedges are
engaged in said grooves of said mechanical splice openings are formed in
said mechanical splice and when said wedge is disengaged from said
grooves, said openings close.

3. The mechanical splice apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising a second aligning component.

4. The mechanical splice apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
aligning component comprises a plurality of structures that, when forces
are asserted on said structures, said wedge disengages from said groove.

5. The mechanical splice apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said
aligning component comprises a structure that, when a forces is asserted
on said structure, said wedge engages in said groove.

[0003]Apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to
mechanical splices. More particularly, the present invention relates to
mechanical splicing optical fibers that includes a component for aligning
and the fibers that are being spliced.

[0004]2. Description of the Related Art

[0005]In order to join fibers from multiple cable reels, the optical fiber
must be either fusion spliced or mechanically spliced to align the fiber
cores prior to joining the ends to allow optical energy to past from one
fiber to the next. Depending on the quality of the alignment there is
loss associated with such fiber joints.

[0006]In using fusion splicing there is a high cost of the equipment,
special skill levels of the technician and precision equipment required
to prepare the fiber to make this joint. In mechanical splicing of
optical fibers, there are high losses and special apparatuses or tools
required to precisely align the optical cores of the fiber. All existing
fiber optic mechanical splices use some type of special tool or apparatus
to assemble the mechanical splice and precisely align the optical core of
the fiber. These special tools are an additional cost and add an element
of additional complexity in order to facilitate making a low loss
mechanical splice joint between optical fibers.

[0007]The fibers are first prepared by having their protective coating
removed, the fiber cleaned in pure alcohol and the end faced cleaved to
provide a flat endface. This is the same process for all splicing, either
fusion or mechanical. The special tools required for mechanical splicing
are to open the elastomer that precisely aligns the fiber cores by a
precision V-groove in the elastomer. Once both fibers are aligned the
tool closes the V-groove and the fibers are held in place and in
alignment by the closed elastomer. The problem that need to be addressed
is that these special tools are costly, cumbersome, and need to be
replaced and repaired.

[0008]It is an object of this invention to provide a mechanical splice
that is pre-equipped with a component that can open and close the
elastomer, thus eliminating the need for a special tool to complete the
splice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009]Exemplary embodiments of the present invention address at least the
above problems and/or disadvantages and other disadvantages not described
above. Also, the present invention is not required to overcome the
disadvantages described above, and an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention may not overcome any of the problems described above.

[0010]According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
mechanical splice apparatus, including a mechanical splice with a groove;
and an aligning component with a wedge; wherein when the wedge is engaged
in the groove of the mechanical splice an opening is formed in the
mechanical splice and when the wedge is disengaged from the groove, the
opening closes.

[0011]According to another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a mechanical splice apparatus wherein the mechanical splice
includes a plurality of grooves; wherein the aligning component includes
a plurality of wedges and wherein when the wedges are engaged in the
grooves of the mechanical splice openings are formed in the mechanical
splice and when the wedge is disengaged from the grooves, the openings
close.

[0012]According to another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a mechanical splice apparatus that also includes a second
aligning component.

[0013]According to another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a mechanical splice apparatus wherein the aligning component
includes a plurality of structures that, when forces are asserted on the
structures, the wedge disengages from the groove.

[0014]According to another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a mechanical splice apparatus wherein the aligning component
includes a structure that, when a forces is asserted on the structure,
the wedge engages in the groove.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015]These and/or other aspects of the present invention will become
apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of
the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which:

[0016]FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of
an unassembled mechanical splice;

[0017]FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of
an assembled mechanical splice;

[0018]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view illustrating an exemplary
embodiment of the mechanical splice;

[0019]FIGS. 4 and 5 are cross sectional views illustrating the operation
of an exemplary embodiment of the mechanical splice.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020]In the following description, same drawing reference numerals are
used for the same elements even in different drawings. The matters
defined in the description, such as detailed construction and element
descriptions, are provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of
the invention. Also, well-known functions or constructions are not
described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary
detail.

[0021]FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of
an unassembled mechanical splice. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the apparatus
includes a mechanical splice 1 and two aligning components 2, 3 that are
used in the splicing process. The mechanical splice 1 contains two holes
10, on either end (the second hole is not shown), where the fibers to be
spliced are inserted. Four grooves 6, 7, 8, 9, are on the top of the
mechanical splice 1. The grooves extend past the center point 30 of the
elastomer when the fiber will reside (see FIG. 4). Although this
embodiment has four grooves. The mechanical splice could have fewer (at
least two) or more grooves.

[0022]The aligning components 2, 3 include a portion 5 that holds the
mechanical splice 1. The mechanical splice 1 can be held for example, by
a clip 5A, a piece that 5B that covers the entire bottom of the
mechanical splice 1 (as shown in FIG. 4), or by other suitable means. The
aligning components 2, 3 also include wedges 4, that can be inserted into
the grooves 6, 7, 8, 9. The wedges do not need to be shaped like a wedge.
Any other suitable shape that can be inserted into the grooves and force
open a channel or hole for the fiber to be inserted would be acceptable.
The wedges 4 are attached to the aligning splices 2, 3, by supports 12.
The supports 12 can be integrally formed with the wedges 4.

[0023]The aligning splices 2, 3, also include structures or "wings" 11,
which are used to remove the wedges 4 from the grooves 6, 7, 8, 9.

[0024]Next, the assembly of the mechanical splice will be described. The
aligning components 2, 3 are either pushed over the mechanical splice 1
and held together by the clips 5A (see FIGS. 1 and 2), or the mechanical
splice 1 is slid through the aligning components 2, 3 (see FIG. 5). At
this point, the wedges 4 are not inserted into the grooves 6, 7, 8, 9.
Next, after aligning the wedges 4 over the grooves 6, 7, 8, 9, the wedges
4 are inserted into the grooves by using a force B (see FIG. 4). The
"wings" 11 move out in direction A. The wedges 4 remain engaged in the
grooves by for example, friction force, or by clips or other means (not
shown). When the wedges are engaged, the elastomer is forced open to
create an opening such that an optical fiber can be inserted into the
opening in the mechanical splice. For example, FIG. 4 shows slight
opening around the center point 30, where the fiber will reside. The
mechanical splice 20 can now be used to splice two fibers.

[0025]Next, the slicing operation will be described. The fibers are first
prepared by having their protective coating removed, the fiber cleaned in
pure alcohol and the end faced cleaved to provide a flat endface. The
fibers are inserted into holes 10 of the mechanical splice 1 until the
two endfaces meet at approximately the middle of the mechanical splice 1.
Next, the wedges of one of the aligning components 2 or 3 are removed
from the grooves. This is done by applying a force C on the "wings" 11
(see FIG. 5). This causes the support 12, along with the wedges 4 to move
in direction D. After the wedges 4 are removed from the grooves, the
opening in the elastomer closes and the elastomer firmly holds the
optical fiber in place. Next, care is take to make sure that the other
fiber is still in contact with the firmly held fiber, and the wedges of
the second aligning component are removed in the same matter. Finally,
both aligning components 2, 3 are removed from the mechanical splice 1
and can be discarded.

[0026]One advantage of this invention is that the mechanical splice comes
pre-equipped with the tool required to open and close the elastomer and
these are disposable after the splice is completed. A great advantage is
that the cost of the new technology is considerably lower and a special
tool is no longer required to assemble the splice.

[0027]While the present invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be
understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in
form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit
and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.